Wilkins LUMBERTON — A statement released Saturday afternoon to the Robesonian is a warning to residents that computer systems operated by the sheriff’s office and other Robeson County offices had been hacked — although no detail was provided on what information was obtained.
“At the request of state and federal officials and for legal reasons, I can’t say a lot regarding the recent cyber attack our agency experienced three weeks ago, as the investigation is continuing and is being monitored closely,” Sheriff Burnis Wilkins stated in a prepared statement.
Wilkins said many law enforcement agencies, businesses and personal computers have been “attacked in recent days, months and years in surrounding counties.”
In his report on Saturday, Wilkins stated that cyber attacks “occur on average every 39 seconds, according to the North Carolina Department of Information Technology. Ransomware demands have increased, with most agencies and state guidelines opting not to pay.”
According to information in Saturday’s report, Wilkins points to an April 5, 2022, decision in which North Carolina “became the first state to prohibit state agencies and local government entities from paying a ransom demand in connection with a ransomware attack.”
In April, Robeson County officials acknowledged that county departments had been breached but that services to the public would continue.
Wilkins’ statement on Saturday included a public reprimand to some “people [who] have taken pleasure in sharing some of the stolen confidential files, putting many people at risk. This is a serious matter and not a time to seek fame at the expense of others,” Wilkins stated.
He stated that the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office has received reports “over the last two days indicating” that local residents had their own computers compromised because of a link that was shared to access a web browser that would eventually lead them to some of our stolen data from our servers.”
Wilkins statement included the following warning:
”If you click on a link that allows access to the deep dark web, you are doing so at your own risk.”
Wilkins said during the Sheriff’s Office investigation of recent attacks, “several law enforcement ranking officials” have been involved in cyber attacks.
However, the most recent Robeson County attacks included an attempt to gain “attention or cause danger by posting investigatory information and content as it relates to a case or a potential cooperating defendant or confidential source.”
Wilkins also stated “a very few people … are continuing their quest to ridicule our agency, our staff, including myself, our families, and so on.”
On Saturday, Wilkins ststed that “everything is being done to avoid this again, but even with the best of our efforts, technology and science changes daily, and we pray it doesn’t occur again…. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Be safe.”
Editor’s Note: This is a developing story. Find more on this story at robesonian.com as it develops and in Wednesday’s Robesonian, delivered to SUBSCRIBERS and available in most grocery stores in the greater Robeson County area. Sign up for our eNewsletter and have headlines, breaking news alerts and sports stories sent directly to your email. CLICK HERE for details.
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